The Caleb Williams effect is becoming real. Teammates have noticed how different the #1 overall pick is. They can already see the talent. His arm strength, accuracy, and ball placement show up every day in practice. DJ Moore admitted that a big reason he agreed to an extension with the Chicago Bears despite two years left on his current deal was that he sensed Williams would be a star. It isn’t just the ability. It is also his capacity to learn. The defense makes a play to stop him. He talks to them about what they did. After they explain, he makes adjustments and beats them when they try it again. Kevin Byard is seeing the same things.
The former All-Pro safety has played with some decent quarterbacks in his career, from Ryan Tannehill to Jalen Hurts. He admitted on Mully & Haugh that something feels different about Williams. It isn’t just his arm talent and athleticism. When asked to elaborate, he provided a story that helped illustrate the intangibles. Williams spoke to the locker room recently, asking guys to be more proactive in cleaning up after themselves in the locker room. Help make the custodians’ jobs easier.
That was a clear indication of both his leadership and meticulous nature.
It wasn’t just about maintaining a clean locker room. The word “sloppy” was mentioned on purpose. It was a subtle hint to everybody that they were getting a bit too lazy with their attention to detail. Great teams never let that happen. If you want to win, you must be sharp at all times. The locker room situation was a convenient way to convey this message without sounding like a rookie who didn’t know his place. Williams’ timing wasn’t an accident. This speech came after the offense struggled with multiple pre-snap penalties during team drills.
Williams knew exactly what he was doing. So did Kevin Byard. The kid is wise beyond his years and talented to boot. Having somebody that detailed at the quarterback position often makes the difference between good teams and contenders. Bears fans may struggle to hold back their excitement if stories like this keep popping up. They’ve been burned many times at quarterback over the years. Williams could undo all of that if he turns out like his teammates believe he will.
